Meyer lemon buttermilk pound cake with bright saucy lemon curd

 

Attention readers: Today's post is a lemon buttermilk pound cake with lemon curd made using my Meyers.  One dozen medium small size Meyer lemons make a cup of fresh lemon juice, enough for about three cups of lemon curd.  I'm happy about that as I have a drawer in my fridge filled to the top with citrus, mostly lemons that need to be juiced and zested.  Making lemon curd is an annual event, making pound cake is more like semi-annual.  Looking for new lemon pound cake recipes is a casual hobby.  I find cake baking and curd making to be a nice distraction these days, I hope you enjoy my photo and the following recipes.  The lemon curd recipe for the pound cake makes extra (3 cups total) for your toast or as a dessert sauce.  Lemon curd sealed in a sterile canning jar will last several weeks in the fridge.  The Meyer lemon pound cake which is baked in a bundt pan isn't overly sweet while packing lots of lemon flavor, very nice for an afternoon tea.

Ingredients and Recipes for Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake with Bright Saucy Lemon Curd 
Serves 10-12, plus extra lemon curd

Make the Lemon Curd

1 cup lemon juice, made from 12 medium size Meyer lemons

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

1 cup granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 egg yolks

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Prepare an iced water bath, large enough for the curd pan, and set aside.

In a heavy rounded bottom saucepan or bowl whisk together the lemon juice, zest, sugar and eggs.

Place saucepan or bowl over another larger pan with several inches water in the bottom on medium heat and continue to whisk until curd begins to thicken, switch to a rubber spatula.  Continue to stir curd with the spatula, being sure to avoid any curd sticking to bottom of the pan.

Cook until curd is thick, about 5-6 minutes, and a line can be drawn across the curd on the spatula, remove from the heat and stir in the butter.  When the butter is melted into the curd, remove the pan to an ice bath and cool, continue to stir.  When the curd is chilled- ladle into sterilized canning jars, store in the fridge.

Make the Meyer lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

Ingredients 

13 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and bring to room temperature, set aside 1 tablespoon for the bundt pan.

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus extra for the bundt pan

2&3/4 cups cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons grated Meyer lemons

3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice, from 3-6 Meyer lemons

5 large eggs, separated

Heat the oven to 350F

Rub one tablespoon of butter evenly over a large 12 cup size bundt pan, sprinkle with granulated sugar-evenly coating inside.

Whisk together the sugar and the lemon zest, set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and sea salt, set aside.

Combine the buttermilk and lemon juice in a pyrex measuring cup, set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium high speed until foamy, about 1 minute.  With the mixer running on medium high, slowly add the 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, continue to whip the egg whites until they are thick, glossy and hold soft peaks, about 1-2 minutes.  Remove the finished egg whites into a bowl and wipe out the mixer bowl.  Switch to the paddle attachment, on medium low speed mix the sugar mixture with the 12 tablespoons of softened butter until everything comes together.  Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until pale in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Reduce the mixer to low and beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing together until no trace of egg yolks in the mixture.  Add one third of the flour mixture on low speed.  Add one half of the buttermilk mixture followed by one third of the flour followed by the rest of the buttermilk and finally the rest of the flour.  Mix until everything is incorporated and forms a batter.  Begin adding the egg whites by folding in one third of them to the batter until they are combined.  Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.  Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan, smoothing the top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cake is golden brown, pulling away from the sides and a cake tester comes away clean, no crumbs.  Cool on a rack for about 10 minutes, then turn the cake out on a rack to continue to cool before slicing.  Serve in slices with lemon curd and berries.